


Campfire kiss

by endlessblu



Series: tumblr ficlets/prompts [6]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Star Wars: The Old Republic - Knights of the Eternal Throne, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28878495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endlessblu/pseuds/endlessblu
Summary: Yalla'ra returns to the Eternal Swamp of Zakuul, considering all that has changed, and who with. Set during chapter XI of KotFE.Written for the tumblr prompt 'kiss by a campfire, relief'.
Relationships: Female Jedi Knight | Hero of Tython/Theron Shan
Series: tumblr ficlets/prompts [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1900717
Kudos: 2





	Campfire kiss

Zakuul's Endless Swamp was a place Yalla'ra had hoped never to return to. The amount of time spent trudging through boggy water on her previous visit was more than enough for her, having to fend off wildlife and waves of Skytroopers whilst her body had barely recovered from the carbon sickness. Even once the Gravestone was discovered, centuries in the swamp had ensured it was a home to nature rather than a safe haven for them, despite Koth's protestations to the contrary. For him the work to get the ship flying was a labour of love, but for Yalla'ra the clean-up work had just meant more time with her thoughts and the unwelcome guest residing in them. The escape from carbonite had been a blur; the stay in the swamp the stark reality of how the galaxy had changed without her, and all that had been lost with it. 

Months had passed since then, enough time to accept all that had changed if not to fully adjust. Odessen was a new beginning, one that couldn't replace what came before, but that offered a starting point at least to move forward.

Theron had become someone to move forward with. Her closest friend, a link between the past and the present, a rock she'd been able to cling to ever since he returned to her life. Somebody who saw the person first, before the leader.

_“Someone needs to take care of you, too.”_

He told her that on the day they met again, moments before they kissed for the first time. She hadn't known how much she'd wanted to hear, _needed_ to hear words like those. It wasn't just now, with her new name and title as the Alliance Commander, but also for all the titles she'd worn before. Battlemaster, Hero of Tython, Jedi Knight. She held them with pride, badges of honour, symbols of hope for other people. But sometimes that was all they were. Titles for other people, titles they needed her to be, not always titles she could live up to herself. 

She never resented leadership; quite the opposite. There was value in having a person people could rally behind, a figurehead for the cause, and she had the gift of inspiring others. But it wasn't _all_ she was. Theron reminded her of that, gave her someone to share the other side of herself with. 

And so, she returned to the swamp, but this time with him by her side. Arriving in an official capacity they may be, the Commander and a key advisor seeking new allies, but any moments they could share with just one another were welcomed. War was all-consuming, but there was still treasure to be found in the moments in between. 

They retreated under the guise of an Alliance briefing, finding a secluded area close enough to Havoc's camp for safety but far enough away for a welcome moment of privacy. Beside them a campfire burned, the rich scent of woodsmoke rising through the air in wisps that slowly wandered up into the night sky. The two of them relaxed into a comfortable silence, a moment of calm after the action of the day, the only sounds being the crackle of the campfire and the chirping of swamp creatures in the distance. Yalla'ra rested her head on Theron's shoulder as they both stared into the fire, losing themselves in their thoughts as they observed the merry dance of bright flames against the darkness of the swamp. 

“Hey.” Theron's voice was little more than a whisper when he spoke at last, laying a kiss on the top her forehead when she turned to meet his gaze. “What's on your mind?”

“So much is different now, even since I was last here. All that we've built, that we're building...” Her voice trailed off with a sigh, her attention wandering back to the flames.

“You've done some good out here today, you know. And with each day, there's a little more hope.” He put his arm around her, giving a gentle squeeze to her shoulder. The action saw her turn to face him once more, reaching up to capture his lips in a soft, lingering kiss before she spoke again.

“So much has changed, but I'm glad you've been here with me.”


End file.
